Peoria County Board approves zoning text amendment updating wind, solar rules and fees

At its May 2026 meeting the Peoria County Board approved zoning case ZBA-2026-0010, a county-initiated text amendment to Chapter 20 of the Peoria County Code that updates building-permit sections, special-use permit wording, definitions for commercial wind and solar energy facilities, and the county fee schedule. The amendment passed on a recorded vote of 17 ayes, 0 nays.

Board discussion was brief. A presenter summarized the change as an effort to harmonize county language and fees with state standards, saying, "Basically, this is just bringing us up to the same standards as the state, with our code wording and also for the fees." The board asked no substantive follow-up questions before taking the vote.

The amendment affects multiple parts of the county zoning and permitting code, including provisions that govern building permits, special-use permits, and the definitions and fee entries for commercial wind and solar energy facilities. The board did not record a separate mover or seconder for the final motion in the transcript; the clerk announced the motion carried 17–0.

What happens next: the amendment, as a text change to the county code, will be reflected in the official ordinance/code update process and in the county’s fee schedule; the transcript does not specify an effective date or implementation timeline.

Vote at a glance: 17 ayes, 0 nays (motion carried).